United States Smash 2025, Las Vegas, 7/3-13

[pongfugrasshopper]

For some reason, I've always considered Kuai Man the clearly better player in comparison with Chen Yi probably because KM is 2 time World Youth Champion in addition to her top 5 world ranking. But their head to head is actually pretty close: KM 5 - 3 CY (now 5-4 with US Smash included). KM won their last meeting in the seniors at 2025 Contender Muscat, but they were neck and neck H2H as juniors with KM edging out CY 4 - 3. In any case, she's taken her game to the next level. She's the tallest potential top Chinese star I can remember and has been able to manage the disadvantages of being that tall while maximizing the advantages. She has a 7-3 record against Miwa winning their only senior matchup at 2025 SC Ljubljana so it'll be interesting how they match up in the future. In any case, pretty amazing to beat both SYS and KM in the same high level tournament.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Big day today for CNT
having full strength line up, and already loss 1 of the 3 golds. (claiming all the golds in result time is consider very hard - compared to a given back then)
almost loss men's single last night - men's single is CNT's biggest prize.
So its a big day today with both mens and women's singles on the line.
can CNT walk away with 4 of 5 gold? or will it be less?

There is a rule within CNT - you are not allowed to loose against foreigners. This is a strict rule and it comes with repercussions.

 

[NextLevel]

Big day today for CNT
having full strength line up, and already loss 1 of the 3 golds. (claiming all the golds in result time is consider very hard - compared to a given back then)
almost loss men's single last night - men's single is CNT's biggest prize.
So its a big day today with both mens and women's singles on the line.
can CNT walk away with 4 of 5 gold? or will it be less?

There is a rule within CNT - you are not allowed to loose against foreigners. This is a strict rule and it comes with repercussions.

Obviously, as the foreigners get better, the repercussions have been relaxed. Everyone knows the expectation but if he doesn't win, it is not like they have serious alternatives. But this is WCQ vs Harimoto, which is for them about as good as it gets. Chen Yi vs ZYL is a bit meaningless in terms of major implications so any loss there will just be a growing experience for Chen Yi, moreso after big sister Wang Manyu already messed up.

 

[piligrim]

Big day today for CNT
having full strength line up, and already loss 1 of the 3 golds. (claiming all the golds in result time is consider very hard - compared to a given back then)
almost loss men's single last night - men's single is CNT's biggest prize.
So its a big day today with both mens and women's singles on the line.
can CNT walk away with 4 of 5 gold? or will it be less?

There is a rule within CNT - you are not allowed to loose against foreigners. This is a strict rule and it comes with repercussions.

Can lose to Harimoto. He is not foreigner )))

 

[piligrim]

I am surprised Lebrun did not challenge WCQ's service.

Maybe because he knows there is nothing wrong his serve

 

[NextLevel]

I think Darko and Felix used spinny forehand and crazy placements to make the rallies' pace kind of slow and unpredictable. This would disrupt Wang's rythm and made some hard time for him to adapt. On the other hand, Harimoto still relies on his speed, which is of course Wang's favourite game. So I still don't think he can do anything good against Wang Chuqin. For being very optimistic, the game will end with 4-2 to Wang.

Both Felix and Darko use sticky hybrid rubber on forehand so I don't think it was so much a strategy as just how they played. Harimoto's has also improved his forehand but whether that will make a difference, we will see. It has been a bad matchup for a while and the Sora match shows that it is still one.

 

[Metaxa]

I am surprised Lebrun did not challenge WCQ's service.

Seems pretty logical to me, since 80% of Lebrun's services are illegal anyway.
They (all players) have protected each other for years. I wonder if they will now try to harm each other in the future by invoking TTR.

 

[vvk1]

So we're all in agreement, losers of yesterday's semis should retire, right? 😂

 

[PoppaChubby]

Seems pretty logical to me, since 80% of Lebrun's services are illegal anyway.
They (all players) have protected each other for years. I wonder if they will now try to harm each other in the future by invoking TTR.

It's not engrained in the french culture to discuss if serve's are legal or not. First when you start at a low level (départemental until régional) teams don't have umpires and referees, it's both teams that do that, so the legal aspect of discussing serves could lead to a very bad atmosphere: hey what you're doing to your friend ? hey what you're doing to our friend ? do you think yours does better ? blah blah blah see what I mean.

Also this is not good for the mental/psycho aspect of the game: you're leading yourself to an inferiority complex "man either way I can't do anything with his serves", that's why it's really rare to see a player judging his opponent's serves. Either way, your coach will tell ya "hey you already know that, what's the use of arguing and killing your brain with that ? live with it, find solutions, read better !"

Now, when they'll be enough matured, like over 25, they will discuss the serves, no one would have never tried to beat Timo Boll at that game when he complained Lin Shidong's serves were "so wrong !", not even the referee. It was Timo, a legend, being in the circus for nearly 30 years.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

So we're all in agreement, losers of yesterday's semis should retire, right? 😂

those retiree groups are hypocrite.
they very quiet when CNT players loose, and very noisy when they win

 

[KiwiPong]

Wang Yi-Tse's comment.

WTT大滿貫》林昀儒鏖戰6局不敵一生之敵張本智和 教練王翊澤說出勝負關鍵
https://sports.ltn.com.tw/news/breakingnews/5105718

Coach Wang Yi-Tse said, "Yun-Ju actually handled the receive well today. The key was his serve-n-attack. He had the initiative but it was hard to get points. In addition, Harimoto had a better grasp of the key balls and was very confident in his shots, which also led to better luck. He had one or two lucky balls, so the loss was reasonable, but we also played very well."

After the match, Harimoto Tomokazu also admitted that there was really no good way or strategy to play against Lin Yun-Ju. "It's the same for me and him. Maybe there were some lucky balls or someone could let go a little more. It was this little change in mood that made it possible for me to win one game and him to win one game. In the end, the difference was 1 or 2 points. Today, it might be because I held on for two balls in the end."

Regarding Lin Yun-Ju's overall performance in this stop, Wang Yi-Tse said, "Overall, he played to his normal level. Although it was a pity to lose, it also means that there is still room for adjustment and resolution. After returning, there are about two weeks to practice and adjust. We will strengthen according to the situation encountered this time."

Having watch that match live, I personally felt that LYJ lost not due to skills or tactics but lacked of aggression. He lacked that “it” factor which can be intimidating. I think (of course im just a spectator) both Harimoto and WCQ have.

 

[kindof99]

See whether Harimoto will challenge WCQ's serves tonight. I think he should try it maybe in the first game if he feels a serve illegal.

 

[kindof99]

Having watch that match live, I personally felt that LYJ lost not due to skills or tactics but lacked of aggression. He lacked that “it” factor which can be intimidating. I think (of course im just a spectator) both Harimoto and WCQ have.

LYJ always looks calm (passive) from the outside. Harimoto has a good fighting spirit for this tournament. See whether he can keep doing it against WCQ

 

[zeio]

Having watch that match live, I personally felt that LYJ lost not due to skills or tactics but lacked of aggression. He lacked that “it” factor which can be intimidating. I think (of course im just a spectator) both Harimoto and WCQ have.

WCQ/Harimoto: Roar!
LYJ: Meow!

 

[zeio]

Harimoto: Ileben? LOL

He confirmed he was so nervous he threw up after G6.

【インタビュー】張本智和 世界1位撃破で初の決勝の舞台へ 最終ゲーム前のインターバルで嘔吐「緊張とプレッシャーで吐いてしまった」｜USスマッシュ2025
https://youtu.be/i58BaYmh1jc?t=278

 

[zeio]

2 commentators (fangirls?) on ELTA TV defending Harimoto's calling LYJ's reverse pendulum serve. LOL

https://weibo.com/3800281193/PAVDRENEv

 

[TTLOVE]

Prediction for Men's single final
Wang Chuqin - Harimoto Tomokazu 4-0

 

[zeio]

https://youtu.be/_4xwHSHYiC4?t=7095
朱雨玲：「這是我時隔五年再次跟他交手，這是一場勢均力敵的比賽，也是一場期待已久的比賽。」
ZYL: "This was my first time playing against her in 5 years. It was a close match and a long-awaited one."

ZYL 4 H2H 2 Ito (this one included)

US Smash 2025

Austrian Open 2019

Swedish Open 2018

 

[piligrim]

Prediction for Men's single final
Wang Chuqin - Harimoto Tomokazu 4-0

no way

 

[Dr Evil]

I think high altitude + fast table + TTR gives Harimoto a fighting chance. Current Vegas odds make him a +380 underdog (implied win probability around 21%) which seems a bit low. I'll take that bet though I don't expect to win.